The present invention relates to a spring actuated door opening and closing assist device, such as would be used on an automotive hood or trunk lid or on the lift type door commonly used on pick-up truck caps.
A known device of this type includes female and male telescoping tubes within which a coil spring is located. The ends of the coil spring in this known device act directly upon the shafts of L-shaped supporting brackets which are mounted within holes which extend in a direction transverse to the longitudinal center line of the telescoping tubes. This known arrangement is disadvantageous because it can result in noisy and irregular operation of the device.
An object of the present invention is to provide an improved spring actuated door opening and closing assist device which avoids these disadvantages associated with the known device. In particular, an object of the present invention is to provide a spring actuated door opening and closing assist device wherein the movement of the telescoping tubes of the device is smooth so that the operation of the device is regular and relatively quiet.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a spring actuated door opening and closing assist device of the type described which overcomes the disadvantages of the known device without substantially increasing the cost of the device.
These and other objects of the present invention are attained by providing a spring actuated door opening and closing assist device comprising first and second tubular members positioned in telescoping relationship, each of the tubular members having a hole formed therein in a direction transverse to the centerline of the telescoping tubular members for receiving a shaft of a support means for door closure means, a coil spring located within the telescoping tubular members and extending between the respective holes in the tubular members, and wherein at least one of the holes is bounded by internally flared portions of the surrounding tubular member which provide bearing surfaces for the shaft of the support means and which provide an abutment for an end of the coil spring.
According to a disclosed preferred embodiment of the invention, both of the holes in the tubular members are bounded by internally flared portions of the surrounding tubular members so as to provide bearing surfaces for the shafts of the support means and provide abutments for the ends of the coil spring. The holes are elongated in the direction of the centerline of the telescoping tubular members to permit relative movement between the shafts of the support means and the tubular members for smooth operation of the device.
The shafts of the respective support means have a round configuration and extend through the holes of the tubular members and means are provided for retaining the shafts in the holes. The means for retaining the shafts in the holes include enlarged portions of the support means adjacent the shafts. Cupped washers are provided on the shafts between the tubular members and the adjacent enlarged portions on the support means to assist in retaining the shafts in the holes.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, one embodiment in accordance with the present invention .